Shell all the beans.

Prepare the artichokes by removing all tough exterior parts (remove the outer leaves, cut off the top 1 inch or so, pare the heart/stalk), cut into quarters and remove the choke and chop into medium dice.

Slice the garlic in rough julienne and let it cook a good amount of olive oil. When the garlic is transparent add the vegetables with some salt and pepper and let them cook...

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for a pasta topping or side dish:

add a tiny bit of water and let the vegetables cook for about 10 minutes or so, remove from the heat and stir in finely sliced mint. Serve them as is for a side dish or ladel them into a bowl of pasta together with some pasta cooking water and top with a big spoonful of creamy, milky, fresh ricotta.

 

for a soup: 

to the vegetables add 4 cups of water, cover and let them simmer for 1 hour oruntil the vegetables are wilty. Serve in a bowl with the broth and top with a poached egg.

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for the poached egg:

bring a pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon or so of white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Stir vigorously to make the water swirl, tip an egg into the center of the swirl and let it boil for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a dishcloth or paper towel to blot it dry before adding it to the soup.​